Accessorizing Your LBD

Okay!

So, I received an email from a reader (Hi Courtney!) who was wondering about how to accessorize a regular black shirt dress. First of all, love shirt dresses. I have a navy one that is constant rotation, and it's easy to dress up or down. So first of call, good purchase.

When someone asks me about accessories, I hesitate to give a solid answer. Accessories are what make the outfit you, so to me, they are a personal part of your wardrobe. The accessories that make an outfit very "Jae" might not be what you would choose. But they can completely make or break an outfit.

Here I'm going to show you the same black shirt dress done four ways to prove that the foundation is what supports the outfit, while the accessories personalize it. Depending on your personality, you'll accessorize your LBD differently for various occasions.

I really feel like this should have a Cosmopolitan-type quiz to go with it... like, "What's Your LBD Style?" and the questions would read like this:

What is your idea of a dream date?
a) Lustily making use of a mountain cabin and bear skin rug?
b) Getting down and dirty on a working farm?
c) Getting sand between your toes, if you know what I mean.
d) Trying to squeeze in a few moments of "mommy and daddy time" while your four-year-old daughter knocks on the door and demands to know what you're doing.

Ooh, ooh! I pick 'D'. Thanks for that, Cosmo.

Anyway... back to the clothes.

If you're a rocker:

Quba Wrap Zipper Front Jersey Dress, $199
Red Denim Stud Strap Zipper Decor Heels @ Amiclubwear Heel Shoes..., $26
Old Navy Womens Dome Cocktail Rings, $13
Charms On Jersey Necklace, $35
Braided Chain Stud Belt - Women's Clothing and Apparel - Chic Dresses,..., $34
Zebra Print Clutch

Accessorize with leather and studs. It takes a totally average shirt dress and vamps it up a few notches. The studs in the shoes are reflected in the belt without being matchy matchy, and a few long strands of necklaces are enough around the face. PS how much do you love that clutch? OOH RHYMES! Anyway, wear this to a concert or high school reunion and PRAY you meet your ex-boyfriend. Then talk about your yacht.

If you're quirky or a bit of a hipster:

Quba Wrap Zipper Front Jersey Dress, $199
Steve Madden Trinitis Pumps, $45
Magid Evening Bag with Flower Accent, $42
Futuristic Metal Cuff, $25
Centre Jewel Flower Corsage, 8 GBP
Mango Leather Sash Belt, $42
PINK HEAD PORTRAIT ORGANZA FLOWER ANYWHERE CLIP, $30
Lace flower hair clip, 5 GBP

I actually secretly wish I was more hipster than I was. I love the idea of knits and thrifted clothes and caring for the environment, etc, etc. I just never get around to it. But this organic-looking outfit could fool people. Same shirt dress, different accessories. I *just* bought a cardigan with three flower pins like this and I totally worship it. You'll notice that there's a belt included in each outfit. This dress needs a belt. Courtney, so does yours. The flimsy fabric belts that come with most shirt dresses are laughable. Get something real. This one is adorable. So cute for a night time wedding or event.

If you're trendy:

Quba Wrap Zipper Front Jersey Dress, $199
Pirate Cardigan, 15 GBP
Gold and Brazen Heel, $38
La Regale Satin Pleated Clutch, $29
Vibrant Peacock Feather Earrings, $4.80
Teal Flower Petal Cuff
AK Anne Klein - 1015873 (Turquoise) - Accessories, $34

This outfit I put together with the idea of what I would wear if I were wearing this shirt dress out. I consider my tastes to be fairly trendy, so I went with brighter accessories. Using the blue as an accent makes this look sophisticated without looking like an F21 barfed on it. Any excuse to wear peacock is ok by me! Also, I've taken to wearing my statement watch over my long sleeved, tight shirts. As long as they fit slim, it works and it brings more attention to your accessories. Wear this when you're hanging out with your fashionable friend. (That was a hint to all of my friends. Ha!)

If you're a girly girl:

Quba Wrap Zipper Front Jersey Dress, $199
Nude Round Toe Pumps with Ankle Strap, $28
Jessica Simpson Bags Casablanca Clutch - eBags.com, $36
Diane Gilman Pave Enamel Animal Print Watch at HSN.com, $30
Carolee - Retro Pearls Cluster Pearl Pierced Earrings (Gold/White..., $38
ASOS Bow Skinny Belt, $6.74

If you like to feel feminine when you get dressed up, pale pinks make this look girly without veering into Alice in Wonderland territory. Black makes the perfect backdrop for pearls and I love the surprise of mixing a leopard print watch with a snakeskin bag for interest. How cute would this be for an afternoon wedding?

So no matter where you're headed in your LBD, using your own personality to accessorize will give the same dress a new life over and over again. It's why I get annoyed at people who whine that something isn't their style... well, you wear the clothes and not the other way around. Create your style by mixing things up. It's the cheapest way to expand your closet and make old pieces look new again.

So hope that helps, Courtney! And anyone else has questions, you can find me at my email address there on the sidebar, or on Facebook!

What's your favorite way to accessorize an LBD?

Train Smarter, Not Longer

For those of us who have a billion things to do, like me this is sweet music to your ears. My plan today was to start my training for my half marathon I'm doing the first week of Nov. I usually do one about now but I was away most of the summer and was unable to get my miles in. I thought early Nov. would be a great time to get one in.

To start my training, I always like to get a good sleep--what was I thinking:) We were driving home from a friends cottage last night and when we got home (reasonable-8pm) the kids were complaining about itchy heads. We had some dandruff a while ago so I told them to come over while I checked it out. AUGH!!!!!!!! within seconds, I saw it wasn't dandruff, it was lice!

So my early to bed was out the window, I spent the next several hours combing through my 3 girls very long hair. The point of this story is that things always happen unexpectedly, things you don't plan on, so work with it.

I was going to go for a long run but I quickly changed my schedule. I'm going to do boot camp tonight (so looking forward to having my butt kicked), and I will fit my run in tomorrow.



It's important to have a plan for your workouts, but also be flexible when little (or big) things come up. The next thing is to train smarter, not longer. You don't need to spend hours and hours working out. If you know me, or at least been reading Mondays posts and the ones on fitmommakeover.net you know that I am all about getting in the best workout in the least amount of time.

The best way to do this is to maximize on each exercise. Instead of doing exercises like a machine chest press, do push ups. Instead of doing a leg extension or hamstring curl, try squats and lunges. Some of my favourite exercises are combo's. An example of this is a squat with a row using tubing, or lunges with a tricep kickback. By doing these type of exercises, you cut down your time because you are working tons of muscles at once and you burn lots of calories.

After your great 30 min workout, you need to stretch everything and then rest. So many people don't rest long enough. You muscles do the best growth when you are actually resting, not working out. So workout, then rest.


Get Good Sleep: I know if you have babies who are not sleeping through the night, this sounds like an impossible mission. If this is you right now, do the best you can. If for the rest of you, you have better control over your sleeping habits, go to bed earlier. By 1030pm. I hear so often of late nights of midnight or later and it's just not healthy. Early to bed, early to rise. Our ancestors did it out of necessity, we need to do for better health.

So if you have been spending hours working out, give this a try. Try a quick 20-30 minute workout using exercises like push ups, squats and lunges, combine some of your movements and then give yourself a rest. Do that 3-4 times a week, add some cardio in on your off days and see how you feel. (you don't want to lose intensity though, be sure if you are doing a shorter workout, that you don't skip your intensity and make it easier).

Committed to your fitness success,
Kelly Parker
www.fitmommakeover.net

Freaky Friday

It actually feels good to get back into the swing of things. Of course, I'm off on vacation AGAIN next weekend, but I promise I'll whip up a post and send it your way before I leave. I am actually tired of vacation. No joke. JUST LET ME LIVE.

Anyhow! Let's do it! (Not it, it. This is NOT that kind of website.)



Oh REALLY, Katie Price? Slash wasn't your name Jordan before omg make up your mind. You're really going to wear a crown out of iPods and dress like the Tin Man turning tricks? WHY ARE YOU EVEN FAMOUS?


My reaction to these shoes (a reader sent in) was to wonder how painful it would be to saw this model's feet off. It would be worth it, wouldn't it?


Oh Lady Gaga!!!! I know you think you're a trendsetter in your beef bikini. TOO BAD that astute America's Next Top Model viewers like myself will note that this was done like, THREE seasons ago. See?


OH SNAP! That's Claire in meat undies! SOMEONE is a little slow on the uptake there, Gags. *yawn* Better luck shocking us next time.

Mwa ha ha.

PS, I feel like steak in your crotch is never the right way to go.


I'm not sure how well you can see this item, the site was crappy for screenshots. But it's a coat... with a pocket for your baby. Like a kangaroo. And look! She can EVEN close her trunk. Amazing.


So, when I was a teen I got Seventeen magazine and was always fascinated at prom time when they would feature the duct tape dresses. There would be creations like this, while low on taste in general, are amazing feats of sewing and crafting.


....and then there's people like me, who fail Home Ec.


Look ladies. I KNOW I preach against mom jeans on my blog. But there is a FINE LINE that you're walking. If can see undies and BOTH cheeks, your pants are officially too low, and you are embarrassing your baby. And he poops in his pants and barfs on himself like, daily.

Alrighty. I have super cool temps here, so my plans today include gallyvanting around town (with my children, believe it or not) wearing the leather jacket I bought in July. It's a big day, folks.

How to Pack a Suitcase

Aww, a week away from the blog makes me feel tired and frumpy. Does it have that same effect for you? But I went shopping and bought a blazer that completes my life, so I'm back in the game!

So I just got back from my latest trip to Canada. For those of you who don't know, I'm a Canuck living in the States (legally, I promise!) and I travel home to see my family as often as possible. Which means I pack and unpack my suitcase A LOT. This year I've gone to the Great White North three times and I have a fourth trip still planned. Now that my lovely Delta makes me pay for my own bags, I've learned to travel a lot lighter than I used to. No joke, one time I went home (when I was just a young lass, without children) and carried an entire bag separately for my shoes. In my defense, I used to go for much longer stays when I didn't have kids AND I just really felt the need to have 15 pairs on hand.

ANYHOW, I'm much better now. In fact, the time before last I packed me and both my kids in the same suitcase for an entire week. In all my travels, I've learned to pack lightly while still bringing stuff that looks awesome. So, if you're sneaking in one last trip before you're going to school, or you'll be traveling for Thanksgiving or Christmas travels, learn from my many mistakes and pack a fully fashionable and functional suitcase. Here's how:

1) Assemble your outfits beforehand. I am a firm believer in having choices while traveling, so you don't need to plan it down to the day. When I was a teen I would plan to the day, and I was a big nerd. Now I just make sure I know what goes with what. How do I do this? Rolling! I take the top and bottom for any given day and roll them up with the undies inside. Then, when I have to do a mad dash to get into my parent's ONE bathroom before one of my four brothers does, I don't have to hem and haw over what I wanted to wear with what. Easy peasy. Also, rolling makes everything fit so much nicer.

(An artfully packed suitcase. So neat and organized. Of course, after a trip mine just looks like my closet vomited into a small space, but on the way THERE, it's super neat.)

2) Pack dresses! Remember how I like to pack light? Dresses are the lightest thing you can bring because they are just one piece. Roll and DONE. Also, I think dresses work well for traveling because they look like you put in some effort when it was really easier than matching up jeans and a shirt. Also, I'm from Toronto and the humidity there is DEATHLY. Dresses saved my sanity since I could wear them comfortably in the heat.

(Add flats or wedges, a necklace and you have an outfit my friend! Dress by Beloved.)

3) Bring shoes with a purpose. As much as I'd love to pack 15 pairs and complete a full shoe showcase to all of my old friends, I no longer have the luxury of packing for just myself. That means I think long and hard about what shoes to bring. In general I bring one pair of heels, one pair of flats and a pair of boots (I fly in my Fryes so I don't have to pack them. OMG Fly in my Fryes, that rhymes. I'm a genius.) Anyhow, I used to bring both brown and black heels and brown and black flats, but now I usually plan to bring only one color and make sure that all of my outfits work. This last time I lugged up black flats, red heels and brown boots, and I had something to match everything I brought. I just pop them into the netting on the underside of the top portion of the suitcase.

(Black flats are skinny to pack and literally go with everything. Must pack!!)

4) Remember that when you're on a trip, your picture is going to be taken. A lot. As comfy as your Juicy sweats sound when lounging around with family, you do not want to be forever documented with words on your butt. At the very least, a cute tee, some jeans and earrings will make you look put together without having to drag your entire closet up. How cute are me and (3 of) my brothers this last time around?


(This is the night we all went out and did box karaoke. We also did a very awkward rendition of "My Humps." I don't want to talk about it.)

5) Speaking of jewelry, I got the best idea this last time around. Usually I shove it into the same gallon Ziplock bag that I keep my toothpaste in, and they undoubtedly end up tangled and smelling like mint. Now I have a four year old daughter, who also has all manner of accessories. This time I brought a Space Maker-type pencil box and dropped all of my earrings in. I wound necklaces around those fake credit cards that you get int he mail and clipped them with my daughter's flower hair clips. So awesome! When I got to Canada I didn't spend all of my time fishing out tangled necklaces and minty earrings.

(Seriously. Stroke of genius.)

If anyone has any other super awesome packing tips, I'd love to hear 'em. I have another trip in the beginning of December and I'll be bringing up Christmas presents and OMG I'm going to have an issue with high blood pressure just thinking about it.

Mama Fit Monday: What Do You Pack In Your Lunch??

The kids go back to school tomorrow...I'm definitely excited. Back to the routine of getting up, making lunches, running for the bus and doing homework.

Some of you know me and know I love to look in people's carts at the grocery store. And I'm the same way with people lunches. When my daughter was in JK, I was new to the lunches and snack thing so I asked her, "what do your friends bring for lunch and snack". I currently was giving a ham sandwich (the only thing she would eat, fruit and little treat for lunch and a homemade muffin and fruit for snack. Were there better things? She said she wanted Froot Loops for snack. What!!!!!

She had no idea what they even were! No- someone in her class shared their snack with her and that was it. I quickly explained to her that Froot Loops were not healthy and not a good snack for school. After that I didn't ask what the other kids brought, I stuck to what I know, and my kids don't complain---too much:)

Steps to a Healthy Lunch

1. Keep them Hydrated:

Send water with their lunch. Its' easy to send juice and pop, but once they expect that, it will be very difficult to get them to switch to drinking water on its own. Juices and pop are loaded with sugar. Sugar is addictive, causes more problems than this post will allow for discussion, and robs the body of important nutrients.

2. Have protein:

Protein will not only fill them up, but necessary for the body to function properly. Protein is an essential part of lunch, both for you and your kids. Kids need protein to support their growing body, and you need plenty of protein in order to grow and maintain lean muscle tissue.

Some great examples of protein are: fish, beans, tofu, nuts, eggs, chicken, turkey, lean pork and lamb.

Limit the amount of high-saturated-fat protein that your kids eat to no more than 3 servings per week. These include cheese, hot dogs, salami, bacon and sausage.

• 2 – 3 servings daily
• 1 serving equals: 2 – 3oz meat, 1/2 cup cooked beans, 1/3 cup nuts or one egg

3. Whole Grains:

The key to this part of the lunch is "whole grains", which means unrefined. Whole grains are essential to a healthy lunch. It will provide you and your children with energy and of course help to fill them up.

White bread, bagels, pasta and rice have been stripped of the nutrients and minerals. As a result these items convert quickly into sugar, leaving your child drained after an initial quick burst of energy. Always avoid refined white grain products.

Here's a list of healthy whole grains: oatmeal, brown rice, quinoa, millet, bulgur, whole-wheat or sprouted grain bread, barley, whole grain cereal and whole wheat pasta.

Here's what your child should be eating:

• Kids 6-9 yrs: 4 – 7 servings daily
• Kids 10-14 yrs: 5 – 8 servings daily
• Teens: 6 – 9 servings daily
• 1 serving equals: 1 slice of bread, 1/2 bagel, 1/2 cup cooked rice, 1/2 cup pasta, 1 cup of whole grains

4. Veggies:

Don't save your veggies for dinner. Pack lots of colours to give them a variety. You may get some resistance here, especially if they are not used to eating them. Start with something you know they will like and introduce a new one every week. I have added hummus and light dressing to dip which makes them disappear.

• 4 – 9 servings daily
• 1 serving equals: 1 cup raw of 1/2 cup cooked vegetables

5. Fruit:

Fresh fruit is healthy and essential to get vitamins and minerals. As with your veggies, choose a variety of colors to ensure that your kids are getting a range of nutrients.Stay away from fruits that are canned and coated in syrup, and also from fruit snacks and chews that contain added sugars. If fresh fruit is not readily available then go for plain dried fruit, with no added sugar.

Unlike veggies, it is possible to eat too much fruit. Though the natural sugars within fruit are much healthier than refined sugar, too much of it will have a negative impact on your blood sugar levels and the extra calories will be stored as fat. Stick with 3 – 5 servings per day.

• 3 – 5 servings daily
• 1 serving equals: 1/2 cup cut fruit, whole fruit size of tennis ball, half a banana, 1/2 cup 100% fruit juice

6. Calcium:

Most of us rely on milk as our source of calcium. There are many sources of calcium that we can choose from without using milk. Try these sources of calcium: nuts, dark leafy greens, salmon, broccoli, tofu, soy milk, sardines, beans, sunflower seeds, sesame seeds, low-fat milk, low-fat yogurt.

• 2 – 6 servings daily
• Serving size based on the amount of calcium in the food. Examples of 1 serving: 1 cup cooked beans, 1/2 cup almonds, 1/2 cup dried figs, 1/2 cup dark leafy green vegetables, 1/2 cup tofu, 1 cup low-fat milk, 1 cup low-fat yogurt.

There you go, 6 tips to packing the perfect lunch. Start the kids off right, with healthy lunches, they will feel better, have better energy and thank you in the long run when they need to know how to make a healthy lunch for their children.

Committed to your fitness success,

Kelly Parker

www.bestfitbodybootcamp.com

Mama Fit Monday: Get The Best Looking Shoulders and Abs

I've been married for 13 years. And every single year my husband has wished I would agree to a canoe trip.

I've been camping my whole life, but as my husband says…car camping, it's different. To me, it's the only kind of camping
there was, it's the only thing I knew, and liked.

We camped every year on our own and with his family (they're big campers), and I heard all of the "great" stories of the canoe trips.
To be honest, I just couldn't get excited about sleeping on the ground, (we have graduated to a trailer, which in my opinion is awesome!)
digging a hole in the ground to go the bathroom, and hanging your food, so as not to attract wildlife looking for an easy meal.

Well, I don't know what I was thinking this year, but at the very last minute I decided sure we should go and try a canoe trip with my sister and
brother law and their kids in Algonquin Provincial Park.

Since it was so last minute, I didn't have a ton of time to prepare, which I found out you do need. Since everything you bring, needs to be in the canoe with you, preparedness is key. My sister in law helped out where I lacked, which was great. We used their food barrel and she did one of the dinners-excellent.

As I made my "list" like I always do, I was getting a bit excited about this. Maybe this wouldn't be as bad as I thought, until my husband looked at my list (which is the same one I make when we go camping with our trailer) and took away about half of my list!!!

He said there was no way I could bring my pillow. What!!!!! He told me to fold up my sweater and use that, there was no room for pillows in a canoe. I started re-thinking if this was such a great idea.

Anyway, we got ourselves organized, got our canoe and kayak (I prefer to kayak, so we rented a tandem, and my oldest daughter joined me in the kayak), and off we went. We paddled for about 3 hours and I could not believe how sore my upper could be! Even my elbows hurt. My shoulders and back were screaming at me and of course we slowed the group down a bit, since it was mine and the kids first time, we arrived later than planned. We really had to work at finding a camp site. At this point, my body was saying, don't be picking, just take the first one available.

We found a great site, put up the tent and started dinner. We started with a 3 day trip. And I have to be honest, it was pretty good. I had a bit of trouble sleeping the first night--bears were always in my head, but after that I was pretty good. We canoed all three days and I couldn't believe how it challenged my body.

I am always doing something, boot camp, running, biking, roller blading, but when I did this, it was a total shock to my body. It was working in a way it has never done before, and my muscles responded. Even my inner thighs were killing me, from bracing inside the kayak. My abs were tender to touch for 3 days, something I have to consciously work hard on to get the same result from trying something new.

The point of this long story is that your muscles will respond hugely to something they are not use to. Don't wait 13 years like I did. I gave my body the workout of a lifetime, it was definitely a challenge, but a good one. I said I would do it again next year!

If you want to challenge your entire body, go kayaking for a few days, if you are fortunate enough to have access to water year round, try incorporating it into your regular routine. Kayaking every other month will keep your muscles working in a way that's different than your regular workout.

Committed to your fitness success,

Kelly Parker
www.fitmommakeover.net

Our Regularly Scheduled Snark...

...is on hold while I play in Canada until Tuesday. Sorry, ladies, I just can't blog when there is CADBURY to be eaten. I did see some doozies on the plane up here though! Why do old people wear socks and sandals while flying? Is there some dress code I am not aware of?

Anyway, happy fashion to you all, I'll be back in five days. You won't even miss me! Well, actually, you might a little. But it's OK! It makes me feel loved.

Kisses,
Jae